For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators@STEMedscot #LearnOutdoors #STEMnation
Outdoor Learning (OL) & Religious & Moral
Education (RME) Webinar
19 November 2020
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Protocols:
• Mute your microphone
• Turn off your camera
• Post comments, questions and
thoughts into the chat window
• The chat will be facilitated
• The first part of the event will be
recorded.
Twitter: #LearnOutdoors
@STEMedscot
Please note the protocols for the session
Please take a moment to say hello in the
chat box and tell us where you are and what
the weather is like there
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Outdoor Learning: The Current Picture
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Covid-19 - Outdoor learning Covid-19 and educational recovery
has sharpened focus on outdoor learning.
Curriculum - Outdoor learning is very beneficial. It spans the 4
contexts for learning and can take place anywhere.
Support is available from a wide range of partners. SG funded
free 2 hour online professional learning module and announced
£2 million funding to support outdoor education centres at this
time. Local authority guidance – SAPOE link.
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Why learn outdoors?
https://youtu.be/O565
Uxdksjk
Timing:1:39 – 9:39
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educatorsFor Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Getting Started
https://nnolscotland.blogspot.com/2020/08/10-tips-for-
outdoor-learning.html - Rob Bushby article August 2020
Do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba, le luchd-foghlaim Alba
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educatorsFor Scotland's learner, with Scotland's educators
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educatorsFor Scotland's learner, with Scotland's educators
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educatorsFor Scotland's learner, with Scotland's educators
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Linking RME to OL: An illustrative example
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Prompts for use before, during or after a walk outdoors with learners….
• How often do you go for a walk outdoors? What’s different about the outdoors compared to being inside?
How does it make you feel?
• What can you see, smell, touch and hear ? What questions do you have when you sense these things?
• Can you see any examples when you’re outdoors of things which are: big; tiny; beautiful; amazing;
interesting; strange?
• When you’re outdoors, does it prompt you to ask questions about your beliefs or others’ beliefs? Do you
ask yourself any questions about what things matter in life?
• Do your experiences outdoors make you any more or less likely to believe that something made it all – or
that it all just happened?
• In RME, you may have thought about things like fairness, kindness, compassion, equality, love- does
being outdoors make you think of any of these things? In what way?
• In RME you may have heard stories from religions, does being outdoors remind you of any of these
stories? Why do you think you’re reminded of these stories?
• When you’re outdoors can you see any examples of where people are caring for nature – or not caring for
nature?
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
RME & OL The Current Picture
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Where is OL in RME? Illustrative 2nd Level focus: Beliefs
Experiences & Outcomes Questions Possible Learning Contexts
Through investigating and reflecting upon
biblical and other Christian stories/ stories of
world religions, I can show my understanding
of these stories.
RME 2-01a; RME 2-04a
• Which religious stories have themes linked
to the natural world?
• What do these stories tell us about
different approaches to nature/ the
environment?
• How do these stories guide followers of
religion in their interactions with nature?
• Religious stories – environmental messages – e.g.
Parable of the sower; widow’s mite; creation stories;
stilling the water; Jataka tales; Hadith; Tikkun Olam;
Dasvandh; Ahimsa
• Explore stories and let learners draw their own meaning!
• Outdoor experiences which prompt ‘awe and wonder’
(vastness/ complexity of nature)
I can show understanding of Christian
beliefs/the beliefs of world religions and
explore the similarities and differences
between these and my developing beliefs.
RME 2-01c; RME 2-04c
• Are there ‘universal’ beliefs about nature
which are shared across religions and belief-
groups?
• What do concepts like ‘stewardship’ and
‘environmental responsibility mean to
religious groups and me?
• What do religions teach about ‘ownership’ and
‘stewardship’?
• Judaeo-Christian/ Islam – stewardship on behalf of God:
tension between use and abuse
• Buddhism/Hinduism – Kammic/Karmic consequences of
actions
I can explain why different people think that
values such as honesty, respect and
compassion are important, and I show
respect for others. RME 2-09c
• Can we ‘respect’ nature?
• How can we demonstrate compassion for
the natural world?
• What does compassion mean across religions and how
can we show compassion for nature?
• Individual actions and environmental consequences;
sustainable practices
• Care for the natural world – animal issues, biodiversity,
sustainability
I am developing my understanding of how my
own and other people’s beliefs and values
affect their actions. RME 2-09d
• How do our individual beliefs about nature/
the environment affect our actions?
• How environmentally-friendly is my lifestyle? What could I
change which would align better with religious teachings?
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
RME & OL The Current Picture
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Where is OL in RME? Illustrative 1st Level focus: Values
Experiences & Outcomes Questions Possible Learning Contexts
Having explored biblical and other
Christian stories/stories from world
religions, I can show my developing
understanding of key values of
Christianity and how they might be put
into action in people’s lives and
communities. RME 1-02a; RME 1-05a
• Why should religious people and others
value nature?
• What is the link between values and actions?
• How can religious and other values
contribute to community action?
• Judaeo-Christian/ Islam: Stories which illustrate nature as ‘God’s
creation’ and implications of actions e.g. implications of creation
stories
• Buddhism/Hinduism: Stories which indicate aspects of the divine
in nature: Divine in non-human form
• Outdoor experiences which raise questions about how our values
affect the natural world (evidence of humans harming nature –
litter, plastics)
I can describe the key features of the
values of Christianity/ world religions
which are expressed in stories. RME 1-
02b; RME 1-05b
• What are the key values in Christianity and
world religions?
• How do these values link to environmental
responsibility?
• E.g. ‘love one another’ , generosity, kindness – extends to all
nature?
• Protection of the ‘weak’ by the ‘strong’
• Living a compassionate life (Karuna in Buddhism)
• Care for animals – Hadith
• This area also allows the possibility of exploring specific religious
approaches to environmental/ scientific issues – e.g. GM crops
etc.
I can show my understanding of values
such as caring, sharing, fairness,
equality and love. RME 1-09b
• What does ‘caring for the environment’ mean
for me?
• How can we treat nature fairly?
• What is the role of love in our interactions with
nature? Are all living things equal?
• How these values are expressed in e.g. the 10 commandments,
the parables and teachings of Jesus, the life of Jesus
• How the lives of key religious figure exemplify these values
• Animal/natural world rights – conflicts (?) with human rights?
I am becoming aware that people’s
beliefs and values affect their actions.
RME 1-09c
• How do my beliefs and values affect my
thinking about and actions toward the natural
world?
• I act with compassion when…. I treat nature fairly when…. I act in
loving way towards the natural world when…..
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
RME & OL The Current Picture
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Where is OL in RME? Illustrative 3rd Level focus: Practices & Traditions
Experiences & Outcomes Questions Possible Learning Contexts
Through investigation of and reflection on
Christian traditions, practices and customs, I
can explain the significance of these for
Christians across a range of Scottish
Christian Traditions. RME 3-03a
• In what ways do key Christian
celebrations, festivals, customs and ways
of marking life stages link to the natural
world?
• Birth, marriage, death – how might environmental beliefs
and values be illustrated by practices? Environmentally-
friendly funerals?
• Yearly cycle of festivals across branches of Christianity –
link to natural world – Harvest, Easter, midwinter
• Prayers, hymns and ceremonies with environmental links
• Sustainable religious practices – Christmas trees/ cards…
• Link between religious practices and other customs – trees
in religion, food laws etc
I have researched and reflected upon the
major ceremonies and customs of world
religions and can explain the significance of
these to the followers of these religions.
RME 3-06a
• In what ways do key religious celebrations,
festivals, customs and ways of marking life
stages link to the natural world?
• Birth, marriage, death – how might environmental beliefs
and values be illustrated by practices? Environmentally-
friendly funerals?
• Yearly cycle of festivals across religions – link to natural
world – Sukkot, Diwali
Through reflection and discussion, I can
explain a range of beliefs which people hold
and can participate in debates about ‘ultimate
questions’. RME 3-09a
• How do the practices of Christianity and
world religions/ belief groups linked to the
natural world illustrate beliefs around
‘ultimate questions’
• Does nature support or refute belief in God?(awe/wonder,
nature red in tooth and claw)
• Does the existence of natural evil support/refute belief in
God?
• Is caring for nature a human responsibility?
• Outdoor experiences which link beliefs to nature (tree
ordination, clootie trees in scotland)
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Sources of Support
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
1. RME & OL Education Scotland Starter Paper
https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-
resources/religious-and-moral-education-through-outdoor-
learning/
2. Interfaith Network calendar of religious festivals
https://www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/religious-festivals
3. Outdoor learning and LfS wakelet https://wke.lt/w/s/beXl3C
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Discussion
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Reflective Question 1
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
How might I use the outdoors to
support children and young people
to explore their and others’ beliefs,
drawing upon religious and other
beliefs?
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Reflective Question 2
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
How might I use the outdoors to
support children and young people
to explore values drawing upon
religious and other beliefs?
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Reflective Question 3
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
How can I use the outdoors to
illustrate and prompt thinking about
practices and traditions which are
linked to the natural world?
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educatorsFor Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Keen for more outdoor learning professional learning?
Do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba, le luchd-foghlaim Alba
Outdoor learning summary page https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-
resources/a-summary-of-outdoor-learning-resources/
Online teaching learning outdoors 2 hour module (SAPOE):
• https://professionallearning.education.gov.scot/learn/learning-activities/teaching-learning-
outdoors/step-1
Previous webinars:
• HT’s journey https://youtu.be/Oecsj8AXiTA
• OL across the 4 contexts https://youtu.be/CeFrR2iLy7Y
• Using digital tools to capture, create and share outdoor learning
https://youtu.be/YS32oAUJL7w and a Sway with all the links from the session
https://bit.ly/33ekdJ5
• Numeracy and Maths in the outdoors https://youtu.be/dyzhJn_M6DU
• Outdoor learning with a focus on ASN https://youtu.be/8M5pXcpmjek
• Literacy in the outdoors https://youtu.be/O565Uxdksjk
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educatorsFor Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Further opportunities
Do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba, le luchd-foghlaim Alba
Upcoming webinars
• Equalities and outdoor learning 23 November
• Social Studies and outdoor learning 25 November
Booking https://professionallearning.education.gov.scot/learn/events/
Wakelet - Outdoor learning https://wke.lt/w/s/beXl3C and family activities
https://wakelet.com/wake/KMW1WM-0qbHCxN8MJACVu
Keep in touch and let us know what would be helpful
• STEM Nation Webinar Team - joining code kz41xx4
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators@STEMedscot #LearnOutdoors #STEMnation
THANK YOU!
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators@STEMedscot #LearnOutdoors #STEMnation
Thank you Outdoor
Learning
Webinar
Evaluation
https://bit.ly/2FwUZNP
Share your outdoor
learning, and tag us at
@STEMedscot
#LearnOutdoors
#LearnOutdoors #STEMNation For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
Education Scotland
Denholm House
Almondvale Business Park
Almondvale Way
Livingston EH54 6GA
T +44 (0)131 244 5000
For Scotland's learners, with Scotland's educators
